D-rop Counts would like to thank all of the students who participated in the 2010 Every Drop Counts poster contest. Stay tuned to www.miamidade.gov/conservation to view all the submitted posters.

Prizes

• Each student who enters will receive a free D-rop Counts T-shirt
• Winning entries will be published in the Water Conservation Postcard Calendar
• Other prizes to be announced later!

Poster Guidelines
Students must follow these guidelines when designing their poster. Any poster not following these guidelines will be disqualified.

1. Only elementary school students, grades K - 5, in Miami-Dade County will be eligible to participate. 
2. Students must work as individuals. No teamwork posters will be allowed. 
3. Only original artwork will be accepted. No poster containing computer-generated graphics, photographs, collages, 3-D artwork or trademark art will be accepted. 
4. Poster must be drawn horizontally (landscape format) on 11 x 17" white poster board
5. Students may use crayons, watercolors, poster paint, colored pencils, charcoal or magic markers to create the poster.  
6. Poster must depict the relationship between water conservation and energy use reduction. Entries may use Miami-Dade water conservation campaigns such as "Every Drop Counts" or "Use Less" as themes. Please go to www.miamidade.gov/conservation for more information.
7. All entries must contain an official entry form  filled out and signed by the parent or guardian. The entry form must be attached to the back of the poster.  
8. Posters should not be folded when packaged. All entries must be postmarked no later than the contest deadline date of Monday, March 8, 2010. 
9. All artwork will become the property of MDWASD and will not be returned.
   

Judging Criteria
The judging panel will consist of five members, with a mixture of local artists, public administrators and professionals with backgrounds in water conservation, design or education. The judges will meet for a one day period to review the entries. Using the Poster Judging Form, each judge will evaluate the posters on the following criteria:

• Conservation Message (50 points) - Does the poster convey the theme's message clearly and link to the water conservation subject?
• Visual Effectiveness (30 points) - How does the poster relay the message and does it require you to take action? Will you remember the poster next year? Is it neat and creative? 
• Universal Appeal (10 points) - Regardless of age, language or educational level, everyone should be able to understand the message. Does it appeal to the general population or a large audience?
• Originality (10 points) - Artistic Expression.

The maximum number of points a poster can receive is 100 points. 

Recognition
Thirteen winning posters will be selected from the entries, one from each County Commission District. The top posters will be awarded prizes and featured on the Water Conservation website. All 13 students will be recognized by the Board of County Commissioners and their posters will be featured in the Water Conservation Calendar. All students who submit an entry will receive a certificate in recognition of their participation in the project.

Background
One of the measures of Miami-Dade's Water-Use Efficiency Plan is education through public outreach. The strategy for the public outreach plan builds on the County's historical involvement with the communities it serves.  The efforts continue to build on two main types of activities: information and involvement. 

The Water-Use Efficiency Program (WUEP) has determined a need to better educate the youth of Miami-Dade County by (1) instilling an appeciation for water and the need to protect our natural resources and (2) to provide a chance to feature educational outreach efforts of Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department (MDWASD),  state and federal conservation initatives on how to use water more efficiently. 

To met these activities, WUEP has developed an innovative student art project to encourage local students to use their creative talents to promote water conservation.